Mechanism for operating beds of printing-machines



3 K O O L m I H W S (No Model.)

MECHANISM FOR. OPERATING BEDS OI PRINTING MACHINES.

Patented July 19, 1892.

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s. WHITLOGK. MECHANISM FOR OPERATING BEDS OF PRINTING MACHINES.

No. 479,382. Patented Ju1y'19, 1892.

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S. WHITLOCK. MECHANISM FOR OPERATING BEDS 0F PRINTING MAGHINES. N0- 479-,38Z. Patented July 19, 1892.

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WITNESSES Q; I |NVFfNTUF\ JL v/ v dam UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STURGES W'HITLOCK, OF SHELTON, CONNECTICUT.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING BEDS OF PRINTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 479,382, dated July 19, 1892.

Serial No. 401,456. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STUReEs WI-IITLOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shel-. ton, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Operating Beds of Printing-Machines; and I doherebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in printing-machines; but more particularly does it appertain to the driving-gear whereby in machines involving a reciprocating bed and a rotating cylinder the former is driven in both directions beneath the latter.

It is the object of my invention to provide a gearing whereby the bed may not only be driven at uniform speed in both directions, but whereby at the end of its movement the driver may be shipped to reverse the bed with an easy and positive action; and with these endsin view lnyinvention consists and resides in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter fully explained, and then recited in the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may fully understand its construction and method of operation, Iwill describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a printingmachine constructed in accordance with my invention, the bed being near one end of its traverse; Fig. 2, a similar view with the bed near the other end of its traverse. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation, Fig. 4, and a plan view showing the connection between the gears.

The same numerals denote the same parts in each of the figures.

The frame of my machine (designated by 1) is of any ordinary or suitable construction. Standards 2 are provided, in which the impression-cylinder 3 is journaled, any suitable means for the driving of said cylinder being combined therewith.

4 is a large bracket secured to the base, preferably about the longitudinal center thereof.

5 is the type-bed, provided with a downwardly-extended portion 6, preferably of the form shown at the first three figures. Said type-bed may be secured upon any suitable ways for its guidance and support.

7 and 8 are racks formed in the top and bottom, respectively, of the downwardly-extended portion of the bed. These racks are of a length corresponding to the traverse of the bed beneath the cylinder or of a length slightly less than such traverse.

9 is the main driving-gear of the press. It is secured upon a shaft 10, which is journaled in a block 11, having a vertical movement in a suitable seat in the bracket 4, as shown at Figs. 1 and 2. Said shaft 10 is connected by a universal joint 12 or other suitable means with the driving-shaft 13, which latter is actuated from any suitable source of power. The gear 9 in the construction shown is so proportioned to the length of the racks 7 and 8 that one revolution of said gear will effect one traverse of the bed; but the gear may make two or one and one-half turns to each traverse.

The outer end of the bracket 4 is provided with an elongated opening 14. Alongside of the bracket is a gear 15, provided with an outwardly-projecting axial roller 16, which is seated in the elongated opening just referred to. This gear is connected with the gear 9 by means of a pitman 17. Said pitman is cranked onto the gear 9 and is strapped over the axis of the gear 15. The bracket 4 bears an outward projection 18, whose under surface is racked and meshes with the gear 15, for a purpose presently explained.

19 and 20 are two short racks secured upon the downward extension from the bed in line with the gear 15, but out of line with the gear 9. They are so placed that one of them will enter into engagement with the gear 15 at each end of the traverse of the bed, as will also be presently made clear.

The bearing-block 11, heretofore referred to, is supported in its ways by means of a link 21, connected at its lower end to a bellcrank 22, which latter is pivotally attached to a long link 23. This link, as shown at 24, has engagement with a cam 25, secured upon a shaft 26, whereby at every revolution of said shaft 26, which is so timed as to turn once at each traverse of the bed, the link 23 will be moved longitudinally and the bearing-block therethrough operated vertically in its seat. This is a combination of parts competent to efiect the desired end; butI do not consider its details as essential.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: In Fig. 1 the bed is shown at nearly its extreme backward limit of movement, it having been carried to that position by one revolution of the gear 9, acting upon said bed through the rack 7. The cam 25 will now move to the right, thereby drawing down the.

bearing-block 11 and the gear 9 to engage the lower rack 8. This movement consumes the time occupied by a half-revolution of the gear 9, which, it must be understood, is constantly driven in one direction and at uniform speed. This half-turn of the gear will operate the gear 15 from the position shown at Fig. 1 to the right-hand end of the elongated opening 14 and back to the position shown at Fig. 1, and this movement of the gear 15, which is at this time, engaged by the short rack 19, will impart the initial reversing movement to the bed, and the movement so imparted will continue for one-half arevolution of gear 9 and until said gear 9 has dropped into position to drive the bed by means of the rack 8. Then the rack 19 will have passed out of engagement with the gear 15, which during the next revolution of the gear 9 and bymeans of the pitman 17 will be carried back and forth idly in its bearing in the bracket. When the bed has reached nearly the other end of its traversing movement, as appears at Fig. 2, the other short rack 20 engages with the gear-wheel 15 and is driven thereby in the manner heretofore explained during the half-turn of the gear 9, that intervenes between its disengagement from the lower rack 8 and its renewal of engagement with the upper rack 7. Therefore during the main portion of each traverse the bed is driven directly from the gear 9; but for a short space at each end of its movement it is driven through the medium of the pitman 17, gear 15, rack 18, and one of the two short racks which are carried by the bed. The short rack 18, it will be understood, performs no function in the driving other than to afford a fulcrum against which the gear 15 may operate in imparting motion to the bed through the short racks 19 20.

In the form of machine shown each complete reciprocation of the bed involves three full turns of the gear 9, distributed as follows: a full turn in effecting the movement of the bed in one direction, a half-turn in changing from one main driving-rack to the other, which half-turn efiects a movement of the bed double the length of one short rack, then one full turn, which effects the reverse movement of the bed, and then another half-turn, whose movement is imparted to the bed through the gear 15 and the short'rack, as aforesaid.

The main advantage of my invention is that in the reversing of the bed at each end of its reciprocation a gradual decrease and increasein other words, a slow stopping and a slow initial starting movement-is imparted to it, which is highly desirable.

In Fig. 3 is showna dash-pot or bufier 27, adapted to take up the inertia of the bed; but its use is optional.

While I have shown the short racks and supplemental gear 15 as the means for coupling the pitman to the bed to effect the re-.

versal of the latter, I do not wish to be limited to these specific instrnmentalities, since any elements competent thus to engage and disengage the bed and pitman for the purposes indicated I deem to be within the scope of my invention.

I claim- 1. The combination, with the bed having two opposed driving-racks, of the main driving-gear and means for engaging it first with one rack and then with the other, two supplemental racks, also carried by said bed, and means, as described, whereby the main driving-gearimparts movement to the bed through and by means of said supplemental racks during the time of its disengagement from the main racks, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the bed having the forward-driving main rack and the rearward-driving main rack, of the three supplemental racks carried by the bed and bracket and a supplemental driving-gear connected to and operated by means of said main drivinggear and adapted to engage the supplemental racks on the bed and to carry said bed during the disengagement of the main drivinggear therefrom.

3. The combination, with the longitudinal reciprocating bed and a pair of opposed main driving-racks mounted thereon, of a main driving-gear and means for engaging it alternately with said racks, a pitman cranked to the main driving-gear and operated thereby, and supplemental driving means interposed between the said pitman and the bed, whereby during the disengagement of the main driving-gear from the main driving-racks the bed is actuated through said pitman, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STURGES WVHITLOCK.

Witnesses:

SHERMAN HARTWELL HUBBARD, MINNA C. HINCHCLIFFE.

IIO 

